One of the sweetest flavors that life has to offer is the delicacy known as irony. Luckily this dish is not regional, irony can be found anywhere through any means, almost to a downright jocular level. One of the closest examples of such revolves around my diet. Frankly, I love food; you literally can not live without it. In a corollary note, I've been very lucky to live a life where I have been given the privilege to enjoy some of the finer taste. The delicious irony comes about due to my taste, or lack thereof. I turn away lobster bisque in favor of clam chowder, I shun fillet mignon at the promise of a burger and I'd rather down soda than any fine wine.
Having access to the gourmet does not make one a gourmand. It's almost laughable really, while quantitatively rich I find myself qualitatively poor. Peculiarly, I'm in the presence of rich food with poor taste. And this raises many other questions, such as, “is my taste a negative reflection of the attractiveness of the food around me?” I think not, after all taste is a essentially a personal opinion. A fact which I'm very well aware of. I just happen to enjoy Slurpees over smoothies.
Is it rude of me to have this preference? To disregard the effort that those who have spent a lifetime honing their trade, all to satiate my lust for sugar, salt and calories? It seems shameful, deplorable even. Am I nothing but a disgusting glutton lacking culture? No, I simply have a more simplistic palette when it comes to food. I enjoy the fundamentals of flavor, satiated by the simple. This idea should not be met with scorn, but with appreciation. Some may have to put forth immense effort to find themselves satisfied, not I. A simple bag of chips or an over sized soft drink will keep my pants tight and my smile wide.
Naturally the health of my taste is a very polarizing topic. Eat and be happy, or plan for longevity. I subscribe to the former, only because life is not guaranteed by any single factor. No matter how healthy my diet is, I am not guaranteed more years for it. Other factors are taken into account on whether I see the sun shine tomorrow. So as opposed to reach out for a future not promised, I will secure my happiness now.
